Chess openings / French Defense
French Defense: Classical Variation
French Defense: Classical Variation (C11) starts 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6. In 20,772 games between strong players, White wins 45%, 20% are drawn and Black wins 35%; the most played move is 4.e5 (62%).
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6
- ECO
- C11
- Games between strong players
- 20,772
- To move
- White
White wins, draws and Black wins, from this position.
What strong players play next
The moves played most from this position in over-the-board broadcasts and the Lichess Elite Database, how often, and how the games ended.
| Move | Played | Results | Leads to |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.e5 | 62% (12,959) | French Defense: Classical Variation, Steinitz Variation | |
| 4.Bg5 | 34% (6,991) | French Defense, Classical, 4. Bg5 | |
| 4.exd5 | 3% (532) | French Defense: Classical Variation, Delayed Exchange Variation | |
| 4.Bd3 | 1% (231) | French Defense: Classical Variation, Swiss Variation |
Where it comes from and where it goes
Branches from French Defense: Paulsen Variation 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3
More French Defense lines
- French Defense 99,820 games
- French Defense: Normal Variation 83,531 games
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation 17,534 games
- French Defense: Advance Variation 16,826 games
- French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen Attack 12,083 games
- French Defense: Winawer Variation 11,959 games
- French Defense: Steinitz Variation 10,175 games
- French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation 8,299 games
- French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation 8,033 games
- French Defense: Exchange Variation 7,826 games
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System 7,278 games
- French Defense: Knight Variation 5,600 games
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